When her husband was battling cancer, Ava Lawrence turned to Dunkin’ to support herself and her children’ Ava Lawrence and her partners are preparing to build their seventh Dunkin’ store in the Tampa Bay area. Getting here has been a long road for the Massachusetts native. Unlike many New Englanders who have made their career…
Read More »Massachusetts lawmakers are now considering legislation that would phase out the state tipped minimum wage and mandate one uniform minimum wage by 2028. Under the legislation filed by Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier (Pittsfield), the current tipped worker wage of $5.55 (and slated to rise to $6.75 by 2023) would be phased out as the tipped wage…
Read More »The Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has implemented a couple of changes that Bay State employers need to be aware of. Effective January 1, 2022, the DFML will increase the average weekly wage and increase the maximum benefit for covered leave. At the same time, the Department also announced a decrease in the…
Read More »
Facing a continued staffing crisis and growing labor costs, many businesses are looking beyond the next hire. Consider the barista who never calls in sick or the coffee-making bots that brew up to 300 portions per shift, work 24/7 and never take breaks, except for refilling or cleaning. In many ways, the crippling U.S. labor…
Read More »Last week, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker proposed a supplemental budget that would utilize $1 Billion in federal pandemic relief funds to replenish the state Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. During the height of the coronavirus pandemic with its accompanying layoffs, shutdowns and business closures, the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, funded by a payroll tax on employers,…
Read More »
April 22, 2021 marked day four of Dealmakers Week, presented by Franchise Times. It was also the day the magazine announced its 2020 Deal of the Year. Not surprisingly, the award went to Inspire Brands for its $11.3 billion purchase of Dunkin’ Brands. On hand to receive the award was David Pipes, Inspire Brands chief…
Read More »
“I have a big, massive American flag in front of my house,” says franchisee Benny Omid proudly. “Every time I go by it I say, ‘I can’t believe I get to have an American flag flying in front of my house.’” Of course, the Stars and Stripes play a featured role in the summer landscape…
Read More »Despite the fact that tax receipts have been well above expectations in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Massachusetts legislature this week cleared the so-called Millionaires tax to appear on the state ballot in 2022. The measure, which required approval by two consecutive legislative sessions in order to advance, was passed Wednesday on a…
Read More »Last week, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law a bill that grants employees up to 40 hours of emergency paid sick leave (EPSL) for COVID-related illness, quarantine and vaccinations. Effective immediately upon signing through September 30, 2021 or until program funds expire, the new law (H.3702) entitles employees to the additional leave for an…
Read More »The Commonwealth of Massachusetts caught up with the federal government and many other states this past week when Governor Charlie Baker signed many parts of HB 90 into law. Of primary importance to small business owners, the legislation excludes proceeds from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans along with Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) advances from…
Read More »